[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 14 (Monday, January 23, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Page 3265]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-1163]
[[Page 3265]]
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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
Information Collection Being Reviewed by the Federal
Communications Commission
AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.
ACTION: Notice and request for comments.
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SUMMARY: As part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork burden
and as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995 (44 U.S.C.
3501-3520), the Federal Communications Commission invites the general
public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment
on the following information collection(s). Comments are requested
concerning: (a) Whether the proposed collection of information is
necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the
Commission, including whether the information shall have practical
utility; (b) the accuracy of the Commission's burden estimate; (c) ways
to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information
collected; (d) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of
information on the respondents, including the use of automated
collection techniques or other forms of information technology; and (e)
ways to further reduce the information burden for small business
concerns with fewer than 25 employees.
The FCC may not conduct or sponsor a collection of information
unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. No person
shall be subject to any penalty for failing to comply with a collection
of information subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) that does
not display a valid OMB control number.
DATES: Written Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) comments should be
submitted on or before March 23, 2012. If you anticipate that you will
be submitting PRA comments, but find it difficult to do so within the
period of time allowed by this notice, you should advise the FCC
contact listed below as soon as possible.
ADDRESSES: Submit your PRA comments to Judith B. Herman, Federal
Communications Commission, via the Internet at [email protected].
To submit your PRA comments by email send them to: [email protected].
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Judith B. Herman, Office of Managing
Director, (202) 418-0214.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
OMB Control Number: 3060-0298.
Title: Part 61--Tariffs (Other than the Tariff Review Plan).
Form Number: N/A.
Type of Review: Revision of a currently approved collection.
Respondents: Business or other for-profit entities.
Number of Respondents: 3,210 respondents; 7,350 responses.
Estimated Time per Response: 20-50 hours.
Frequency of Response: On occasion, annual and biennial and one
time reporting requirements.
Obligation to Respond: Required to obtain or retain benefits.
Statutory authority for this information collection is contained in 47
U.S.C. 151-155, 201-205, 208, 251-271, 403, 502, and 503 of the
Communications Act of 1934, as amended.
Total Annual Burden: 215,600 hours.
Total Annual Cost: $1,411,150.
Privacy Impact Assessment: N/A.
Nature and Extent of Confidentiality: The information requested is
not of a confidential nature. Respondents who believe certain
information to be of a proprietary nature may solicit confidential
treatment in accordance with the procedures described in 47 CFR 0.459
of the Commission's rules.
Needs and Uses: The Commission is seeking OMB approval for a
revision of this information collection in order to obtain the full
three year approval from OMB. There is a significant increase to the
Commission's previous burden estimates.
On November 18, 2011, the Commission adopted the USF/ICC
Transformation Order that requires or permits incumbent and competitive
local exchange carriers as part of transitioning regulation of
interstate and intrastate switched access rates and reciprocal
compensation rates to bill-and-keep under section 251(b)(5) of the
Communications Act of 1934, as amended, to file tariffs with state
commissions and the FCC. This transition affects different switched
access rates at specified timeframes and establishes an Access Recovery
Charge by which carriers will be able to assess end users a monthly
charge to recover some or all of the revenues they are permitted to
recover resulting from reductions in intercarrier compensation rates.
We estimate that 40 rate-of-return LECs will need to make an additional
interstate access tariff filing annually and that 330 competitive and
incumbent LECs will have to make a one-time filing to allow them to
assess charges for Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP). We also
estimate that an additional 2,840 competitive and incumbent LECs will
have to file intrastate tariffs annually. Finally, we estimate that
2,840 competitive and incumbent LECs will have to make a one-time
intrastate tariff filing to establish VoIP rates of interstate rate
levels.
The information collected through a carrier's tariff is used by the
Commission and state commissions to determine whether services offered
are just and reasonable as the Act requires. The tariffs and any
supporting documentation are examined in order to determine if the
services are offered in a just and reasonable manner.
Federal Communications Commission.
Bulah P. Wheeler,
Deputy Manager, Office of the Secretary, Office of Managing Director.
[FR Doc. 2012-1163 Filed 1-20-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P